Tesla Announces Roadster Battery Upgrade Details

For $29,000 including a $5,000 deposit upfront, Roadster owners can buy a new, improved battery that stores roughly 40% more energy than the original. While there’s a slight increase in the battery weight, the total range increases over 35% from the original Roadster.

The reason the cost per kWh is higher than a Model S battery is due to the almost entirely hand-built, low-volume (only 2 or 3 per week) nature of Roadster battery packs. It also includes additional work to remove, upgrade, and reinstall the power electronics module.

All removed battery modules will be fully recycled or reused if possible, and Tesla will reuse many other components from the old battery.